Ski poles as such are generally known. Associated with a ski pole grip there are e.g. loop-type straps through which the skier inserts his hand so that the strap effectively wraps around the wrist as the skier grasps the hand grip and poles his way along the path of travel. In certain skiing competitions, it is imperative that the skier be able to rapidly release and reattach his hands to the ski poles. For instance, in Olympic biathlon competition, the skier traverses a cross country path and periodically must stop, take a rifle from the shoulder, fire at targets and then move on to a next station. In such competition, seconds are important.
A biathlon competition consists of a race in which contestants ski around a cross-country trail system, and where the total distance is broken up by some—typically two or four—shooting rounds, generally half in prone position, the other half standing. Depending on the shooting performance, extra distance or time is added to the contestant's total running distance or time. As in most races, the contestant with the shortest total time wins. A traditional strap permanently fixed to the handle in the upper end of the ski pole or a traditional strap interchangeably fixed to the handle in the upper end of the ski pole does neither allow a quick loosening of the skier's hand nor a quick reattaching of the skier's hand. Instead the skier must dribble his/her hands out of the holes of the straps and respectively dribble his/her hands back into the holes of the straps, which take considerable time. This time delay is critical e.g. in biathlon skiing, because the shooting in fact should be exercised by unloaded hands to attain good shooting results.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,154 discloses a ski glove having a strap extending diagonally across the palm and between a thumb-receiving pocket and an index finger-receiving pocket. The special strap is fastened to the rear of the glove and includes a clip thereon for engaging a mating latch mechanism formed on the hand-grip of a ski pole such that the skier may more rapidly engage and disengage his hand from the ski pole than can be accomplished when conventional ski pole straps are employed.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,287 discloses a quick release skip pole strap system including a novel ski pole strap that attaches to a ski pole grip. A locking mechanism within the ski pole grip automatically engages with a strap pin. A button attached to a side of the ski pole grip, when depressed, causes the strap pin to automatically eject from the ski pole grip decoupling the skier from the ski pole. The skier can depress the button without having to remove his hands from the ski pole grips. The ski pole strap is preferably made of an elastic material that automatically pulls the pin from the ski pole grip and holds the ski pole in a “ready to plant” position. There is an attachment mechanism disposed within the ski pole grip for receiving and locking the strap pin to the ski pole grip. The strap pin is insertable inside the ski pole grip and mechanically engaging with the attachment mechanism biasing the strap into a stretched condition. The strap in its stretched condition exerts constant force on the strap pin away from the ski pole grip. There is further a button extending from the ski pole grip and mechanically coupled to the attachment mechanism, whereupon the button is movable into a depressed condition mechanically disengaging the strap pin from the attachment mechanism. Then the strap in an unbiased condition returns to the given unstretched length forcing the strap pin out of the ski pole grip. This button is depressible by the hand of the skier and the strap changing from the biased to the unbiased condition while the same hand simultaneously remains wrapped around the ski pole grip.
Document US RE38,573 E, being a divisional of the above mentioned patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,287, also discloses a quick release skip pole strap system including a ski pole strap that attaches to a ski pole grip. A locking mechanism within the ski pole grip automatically engages with a strap pin. A button attached to a side of the ski pole grip, when depressed, causes the strap pin to automatically eject from the ski pole grip decoupling the skier from the ski pole. The skier can depress the button without having to remove his hands from the ski pole grips. Here, too, the ski pole strap is made of an elastic material that pulls the pin from the ski pole grip.
With the above mentioned conventional ski poles, valuable time may be lost when it becomes necessary to release the straps from the ski pole grips so that he may grasp his rifle and begin firing. Similarly, when the shooting phase at a particular station has been completed, the skier must again manipulate straps to the ski pole before taking off down the trail. It shall be noted that both the uncoupling of the hand from the handle and the re-coupling of the hand to the handle must be quick processes.